Jar-opener.



PATBNTBD JUNE 26,1906.-

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WITHEIEJES- l ugyma- Moflnmwg UNITED OFFICE.

HENRY MHARrsHoRN, or MALnEN, MAssAoHUsEris.

.mus-oPrfNEFn To all whom 'it may concern:

. Be it known that I, HENRY M. HARTsHoRN,

'a citizen of the United States, residing in Malden, inthe county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented` 'certain new and useful Improvements in Jar- Openers, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to instruments or appliances forremovingthe covers from jars or similar receptacles, and it is adapted especially for use in'opening fruit-jars,preserve i jars, and the like, and more 'particularly glass fruit and preserve jars in which the cover is not screwed into position, but lies on the to l of the jar (usually on a gasket resting on a s oulder formed on the body of the jar) and is held securely in position by a fastener or lock usually'constructed of wire. c

\ with a well-constructed jar of this character Inpractice when itis desired to remove the cover from the jar it lis ,found that after yreleasing it from the fastening or locking contrivanoe it is held firmlyy in position onthe rubber gasket, which usually constitutes its seat, by atmospheric pressure, and it is very difficult and usually impossible to remove or lift off the cover with the unaided hand. As

there is no opportunity for the air to enter at any point between the cover and body of the jar, it is a very difficult matter for the averl lage woman to remove the cover, and such removal is usuallyl attempted by endeavoring to rotate the cover and accomplished by some ill-adapted tool, such as a pair of scissors or a knife, either of which is apt to become broken in the attempt to pry off the cover. My invention has for its ,obj ect to. produce a tool or instrument which will operate on the cover in such a manner as to render it instantly and easily removable.

scribed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved jar-opener.l Fig( 2 is a sideelevation ofthe upper portion of a fruit 'or pre-` serve jar with my opener applied to it and in the position assumed just before it is operated. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the upperportion of a fruit-1 a1', showing my cover in elevation applied thereto and inthe position assumed when it has been operated and has lifted one side of the cover sufficiently to allow of the admission'of air.

l Specicationiof'Letters, Patent. p

. f' Application filed November 1, 1905, Serial No. 285,895-

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. l a represents the body, and b the neck, of a fruit or preserve jar vof .well-known construction, said neck being provided lwith `a shoulder c', on which'fliesarubber gasket d.,

e represents the cover.

f represents a fasteningor locking :con-` trivance of well-'known construction,\which after the jar has been iilled'is usually swung At the opposite end of the bar g it is'bent downward at substantially right angles into the portion n, and said portion is provided on `its outer surface with .a boss p around a 4threaded opening in which a screw s is placed,

said screw being provided with a suitable thumb-piece t and being tapered and preferably pointed at its inner end, as shown at lv.

In operation after the wire fastenerl or lock f has been swun down into the position indicated in Fig. 2 t `e.opener is applied in the-position indicated said igurethat is,

with the lip l directly under one edge ofthe cover and preferably, but not. necessarily, resting on the gasket, the screw s having been previously withdrawn or unscrewed sufficientlyto allow the portion 'n to drop `over the edge of the cover directly opposite the portion k. The screw is then given oneor two turns, as maybe required, with the: effeet that its tapered or conical endy 'v operates rasantes June l2e, isos.

as awedge and slightly lifts that edge of the cover, and thus provides an air-passage at that pointbetween the cover and the upper -edge of the body of the jar, equalizin'g im- `Inediately ofcourse the air-,pressure inside The atmospheric presand outside the jar. sure having thus been removed, the cover is t'aken olf bythe thum'band vfinger in the ordinary manner. f

In Fig. 3 the screw isillustrated as havin been forced between the vgasket "and the cover. '/[t is not necessary, however, that care should be taken to insert the pointed end of the screw between the gasket and the cover. There need be no particular care taken in applying the holder7 for when the screw is turned, whether its point is lying on the vgasket or against it, it operates to pry up the cover at that side and provide an airpassage, instantly relieving it from pressure.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

- 1. -In a jar-opener, a baror frame, means for holding the opener in working position on the j arI and a screw supported by said bar or frame inposition to be driven between the cover and the mouth of the jar for'the purpose of lifting that side of the cov r.

2. In a jar-opener, a bar or frame., means for holding the opener in working position on the jar, and a screw tapered at its inner end and supported by said bar or frame in position to allow its tapered end to be driven between the cover and mouth of the jar for the purpose of lifting thatside of the cover.

3. In a jar-opener, a bar or frame ada ted to extend from one side of the cover o the jar to the other, a lip adapted to extend from said bar or frame between the outer portioii of the edge of the cover and the jar for the purpose of holding the opener in working position, and a screw cone-sha ed at its inner end and sup orted by said ar or frame in osition to afiow its conical end to be driven etween the cover andthe mouth of the jar for the purpose of lifting that side of the cover.

4. In a jar-opener, a bar adapted to extend from one side of the jar to the other, arms extending from the opposite ends of said bar on opposite edges of the cover, means extending from one of said arms into engagement with the jar whereby the bar is held in working position thereon, and' a screw supported in engagement with the other arm in position to a lowits inner end to be forced between. the cover and the neck of the jar for the purpose of lifting that side of the cover. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

H NRY M. HARTSHORN. Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. K. HOOD. 

